A new UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change must be established

UN : Open letter for the Establishment of a new UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change

As the 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) is taking place from 21 June to 15 July, 2021, the undersigned civil society and Indigenous Peoples organizations call on the UN member States through the HRC to establish at this session a new UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change.

Climate change is an existential threat for humanity, jeopardizing the realization of all human rights for present and future generations. As the impacts of the climate crisis worsen and aggravate intersecting forms of discrimination against various peoples, individuals and groups in our societies, action can no longer be postponed at the HRC and urgent measures to protect people and the planet must be adopted. The issue of climate change cannot only be left any more to interesting interactive dialogues or to the existing different Special Procedures to address it when they can, even if their various contributions have been remarkable.

The creation of such a dedicated Special Rapporteur mandate focusing on the challenges of climate change is a longstanding request by a growing number of civil society organizations and of Indigenous Peoples, given that a dedicated mandate would enable the HRC to elevate its work on climate change in a systematic and sustainable way, protect people from runaway climate change and its unavoidable impacts, and promote respect for human rights in climate responses. Simply put, climate change must be a higher priority at the HRC.

In 2019, the Marshall Islands, on behalf of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), called for the creation of a dedicated HRC Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change at the 25th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In the past two years, this proposal has gained momentum amongst States. During the 46th session of the HRC in March 2021,
in an unprecedented move, a cross-regional group of 56 States joined Bangladesh in a statement that called upon Council members to consider creating this new mandate.

It is now time to act on these statements. We, the undersigned, thus reiterate our call urging States to establish a new Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change at the 47th session of the Human Rights Council.

International organizations:

• Adaptation Strategies International
• Amnesty International
• Anglican Consultative Council
• Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
• Associazione Comunita Papa Giiovanni XXIII
• AWID (Association for Women’s Rights in Development)
• Carmelite ngo
• Casa Generalizia della Societa del Sacro Cuore
• Center for Climate Change and Sustainable development
• Center for Global Nonkilling
• Centre for Human Rights and Climate Change Research
• Centre for the Sustainable use of Natural and Social Resources
• Centro de Estudios HEÑÓI
• Center for International Environmental Law
• Climate Refugees
• Comboni Missionaries
• Committee on the Administration of Justice
• Company of Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul
• Confédération Internationale de la Société de Saint Vincent de Paul
• Congregación de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Buen Pastor
• Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd
• Congregations of St. Joseph
• Cultural Survival
• DAWN – Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era
• Dominican Leadership Conference
• Dominicans for Justice and Peace
• Earthjustice
• EarthRights International
• Edmund Rice International
• Emmaus International
• Emonyo Yefwe International
• EnGen Collaborative
• Environmental Justice Foundation
• Faith for the Climate
• FIAN International for the right to food and nutrition
• FIDH, International Federation for Human Rights
• Fondazione Proclade Internazionale-onlus
• Forest Peoples Programme
• Foundation for GAIA
• Foundation for the Conservation of the Earth
• Franciscans International
• Gatef organizations
• Gender Action
• Geneva for Human Rights
• Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR)
• Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP)
• Global Legal Action Network
• Good Shepherd International Justice Peace Office
• Heartland Initiative, Inc.
• Heinrich Boell Stiftung Washington, DC
• Humanity & Inclusion
• Human Rights Movement
• Human Rights Watch
• Humanium
• Indigenous Environmental Network
• Indigenous Peoples Rights International
• Initiatives des Femmes en Situations Difficiles pour le Développement Durable et Intégré
• Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Loreto Generalate
• International Accountability Project
• International Alliance of Women
• International Indian Treaty Council (IITC)
• International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism
• International Rivers
• International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations
• International-Lawyers.Org
• Ipas – Health Access Rights
• Justiça Global
• Justice Coalition of Religious (JCoR)
• Lucis Trust/Bonne Volonté Mondiale
• MADRE
• Make Mothers Matter
• Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
• Maryknoll Lay Missioners
• Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
• Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, Inc.
• Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Office
• Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
• New Humanity
• Norwegian Refugee Council
• PeaceX
• Rainforest Action Network
• Religious of the Good Shepherd
• Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary NGO
• Resurj
• Save the Children
• Servas Internationales
• Sisters of Charity Federation
• Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
• Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.
• Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace
• Sisters of the good shepherd
• Society of the Sacred Heart
• Soka Gakkai International
• Temple of Understanding
• Third Order Society of St Francis
• UNANIMA International
• Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights
• Veterans For Peace
• VIVAT International
• WECF International
• Women Engage for a Common Future – WECF
• Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network
• Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
• Women and Modern World Social Charitable Center
• World Against Racism Network
• World Climate Council
• World Yoga Community
• World’s Youth for Climate Justice
• YOUNGO
Regional, national and local organizations
• 350.org Japan
• Abibinsroma Foundation Ghana
• Accion Ecologica
• Action Communautaire por la promotion des Défavorisés BATWA
• Action de Carême Suisse
• ActionAid Australia
• Africa Climate and Health Alliance
• Africa Coal Network
• African Coalition on Green Growth
• Africa Earth Environment and Wildlife Defenders
• Afrihealth Optonet Association (CSOs Network)
• African Network on Gender Equality and Sustainable Development
• Akina Mama wa Afrika
• Albanian Human Rights Group (AHRG)
• Albanian Society for All Ages
• Agenda ciudadana por el desarrollo y la corresponsabilidad social AC – Mexico
• Al-Haq
• Alliance for Future Generations Fiji
• ALTSEAN-Burma
• American Association of Jurists
• Amigos de la Tierra – Argentina
• Amis de l’Afrique Francophone Bénin
• Amman Center for Human Rights Studies
• Amnesty International USA
• Apoyo la iniciativa
• AquaHub Nicaragua
• Arab Society for Academic Freedom
• Arayara Foundation – Brasil
• Arayara Foundation – Uruguay
• Armanshahr|OPEN ASIA
• Asociación Ambiente y Sociedad – Colombia
• Asociación Costa Rica Íntegra
• Asociación Escuela de Montaña Camino a Farellones – Chile
• Asociación de Líderes Comunitarios Red Angel Shingre
• Asociacion Mujeres Trabajadoras Sexuales Girasoles Nicaragua
• Asociación de pescadores artesanales del golfo de Fonseca Apagolf
• AIDA (Asociación Interamericana para la Defensa del Ambiente)
• Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España
• Association pour le Développement de l’Entomoforesterie et La Sauvegarde de l’Environnement
• Association la Siesta Mohammedia – Morocco
• Association Marocaine des Droits Humains
• Associação Nacional Independente dos Participantes e Assistidos da FUNCEF – Brasil
• Associação de Preservação do Meio Ambiente e da Vida – Apremavi
• Association Women for the Contemporary Society, Moldova
• Australian Lawyers for Human Rights
• Aytzim: Ecological Judaism
• Better World Cameroon
• Cadire Cameroon Association
• Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
• CALDH Guatemala
• Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
• Canadian Health Organization for Sustainability and Equity (CHASE)
• Capìtulo Peruano Movimiento Católico por el Clima
• Carbone Guinée
• Care Society and Environment (CASE)
• Caritas Zambia
• Center ANNA
• Centre for Citizens Conserving (CECIC) – Uganda
• Centro para la Autonomía y Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenass – CADPI – Nicaragua
• Centro de Capacitación en Ecología y Salud para Campesinos/Defensoría del Derecho a la Salud – Mexico
• Centro de Colaboracion Civica- Mexico
• Centro de Culturas Indígenas de Perú (CHIRAPAQ)
• Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos “Segundo Montes Mozo S.J.” (CSMM)
• Centro Ecosocial Latinoamericano
• Centro de Energía Renovable y Calidad Ambiental AC – Mexico
• Centro de Estudios Sociales y Culturales Antonio de Montesinos A.C.
• Centro Nicaragüense de Conservación Ambiental
• Centro de Politicas Publicas y Derechos Humanos – Peru (EQUIDAD)
• Centre for Environmental Rights, CER – South Africa
• Centre for 21st Century Issues – Nigeria
• CEUS Chile
• Chalimbana River Headwaters Conservation Trust
• China Labour Bulletin
• CIRECK (Cercle International de Recherches et d’Etudes des Civilisations beKwel)
• Citizen’s Network For Community Development Zambia
• Circulah
• Climate Action Network Canada
• Climate Action Network Latin America (CANLA).
• Climate Frontlines, Friends of the Earth Australia
• Clímax Brasil
• Colectivo de Abogados “José Alvear Restrepo”
• Collectif Sénégalais des Africaines pour la Promotion de l’Education Relative à l’Environnement (COSAPERE)
• Comision Batuco Comuna
• Comité de Acción Jurídica Argentina
• Commission des droits de l’homme du Cameroun
• Community Empowerment and Social Justice Network (CEMSOJ) – Nepal
• Comunidad Indigena CASCOMI
• Congregação nossa senhora da caridade do Bom Pastor
• Congregación de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Buen Pastor América Latina
• CooperAcción
• Coordinación de ONG y Cooperativas CONGCOOP (Guatemala)
• Coordinadora de Derechos Humanos del Paraguay
• Corporación Camino a Farellones – Chile
• Corporación Chile Ambiente
• Corporación La Caleta
• Crude Accountability
• CSVVDH (Comité de Solidarité avec les Victimes des Violations des Droits Humains en Mauritanie)
• deCOALonize Kenya
• Dibeen for Environmental Development
• DITSHWANELO The Botswana Centre for Human Rights
• Diverse Voices and Action for Equality
• DKA Austria
• Dutch League for Human Rights (Liga voor de Rechten van de Mens)
• DUZAFOUND
• Election Network in the Arab World
• Energy Mix Productions
• Enlace Continental de Mujeres Indígenas de las Américas
• Equidad de Género: Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia
• Equiterre
• Fé, paz e clima – Brasil
• FIAN Belgium
• FIAN Colombia
• FIAN Honduras
• FIAN India
• FIAN Mexico
• FIAN Nepal
• FIAN Sweden
• FIAN Switzerland
• FIAN Uganda
• FIAN Zambia
• FIMA – Chile
• FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development – Norway
• Fondation Eboko
• Forum Tunisien pour les Droits Economiques et Sociaux
• Franciscan Missionaries of Mary – Texas
• Fridays for Future – Kenya
• Friends of the Earth Canada
• Friends of the Earth Sweden
• Fundacion Chile Sustentable
• Fundación Economía para el Desarrollo
• Fundación Ciudadanía Inteligente
• Fundación Haciendo Ecuador
• Fundación Instituto de la Mujer – Chile
• Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar, A. C. MEXFAM
• Fundação Montescola
• Fundación Pais XXI Colombia
• Fundacion para Estudio e investigacion de la Mujer
• Fundación Promoción Humana – Colombia
• Fundación Regional de Asesoría en Derechos Humanos, INREDH
• Good Shepherd Sri Lanka
• Greater Whange Residents Trust
• GREENPEACE Spain
• Green Creation
• Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa
• Grupo Peru Ambiente y Clima-GPAC/coletivo de Sociedad Civil
• Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy
• Hivos
• Homeless peoples federation Philippines (HPFPI)
• Human Rights Association (İnsan Hakları Derneği)
• Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
• Indigenous Environmental Network
• Iniciativa Amotocodie
• Iniciativas para el Desarrollo de la Mujer Oaxaqueña AC
• International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) – Asia Pacific
• International Transformational Resilience Coalition – California
• Instituto Alana Brasil
• Instituto Climainfo – Brasil
• Instituto Maíra Brasil
• Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Amazonica-GTA
• Instituto de Pesquisa e Formação Indígena – Iépé
• Intercambio Social – Mexico
• International Campaign for Tibet
• International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific
• Irish Council for Civil Liberties
• ISACI (Island Sustainability Alliance CIS Inc.) – Cook Islands
• J&P Central South ProvinceSisters of the Good Shepherd
• Karbi Human Rights Watch
• Kasungu Wildlife Conservation for Community Development Association (KAWICCODA)
• Kenya Environmental Activists Network
• Kitanglad Integrated NGOs, Inc. (KIN) – Philippines
• Kora im An Kil
• Korea Center for Sustainable Development (KCSD)
• Latin American Observatory on Human Mobility, Climate Change and Disasters (MOVE-LAM)
• Lawyers for Climate Action New Zealand
• Lead Tchad
• League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran
• Lekeh Development Foundation LEDEF
• Ligue des droits et libertés – Canada
• Linking Skills
• Lok Shakti Abhiyan
• Maleya Foundation – Bangladesh
• Manusher Jonno Foundation
• Manushya Foundation
• Mom Loves Taiwan Association
• Mouvement Lao pour les Droits de l’homme
• Movimiento Católico Mundial por el Clima-Perú
• Movimiento independiente indígena lenca de la paz Honduras MILPAH (SOCIAL)
• Movimiento MOVILIZANDONOS por una cultura de derechos de niños, niñas y Adolescentes en Chile
• Movimento Nacional de Direitos Humanos Brasil
• Movimiento No mas Anglo
• Murna Foundation
• Mwatana for Human Rights
• Não Fracking – Brasil
• NAPM (National Alliance of People’s Movements)
• National Fisheries Solidarity
• National Indigenous Women Forum Nepal
• National Youth Council the Netherlands
• Nayacalevu’s Vision Consultancy
• Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN)
• Network of rural women producers Trinidad and Tobago
• Notre Affaire à Tous
• Observatorio para la Gobernanza Marino Costera – Colombia
• Oceania Human Rights
• Olof Palme International Center – Sweden
• Organisation Guinéenne de Défense des Droits de l’Homme et du Citoyen OGDH
• Österreichische Liga für Menschenrechte
• Otros Mundos AC – Mexico
• Our Lady or Charity of the Good Shepherd Mid-North America
• Oxígeno Para el Futuro – Ecuador
• Oyu Tolgoi Watch – Mongolia
• PA Women’s organization Alga
• Pacific Centre for Environement and Sustainable Development
• Pacific Human Rights Initiative
• Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change
• Panafrican Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA)
• PACJA-Côte d’Ivoire
• Plantemos Nativo ONG
• Plataforma Boliviana Frente al Cambio Climático
• Pro 2000
• Project Survival Pacific
• Proyecto Bioeconomico Latinoamericano
• Promo-LEX
• Rainbow Watch and Development Centre – Nigeria
• Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies (RCHRS)
• Red ambiental de Ñuñoa
• Rede de Cooperação Amazônica – RCA
• REFACOF
• RESAMA South American Network for Environmental Migrations
• Rivers without Boundaries Coalition – Northern Eurasia
• ROSCEVAC
• Servicios Ecumenicos para Reconciliacion y Reconstruccion
• Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand
• Shifting the Power Coalition Pacific
• Slum Dwellers International
• Sociedad Amigos del Viento – Uruguay
• Society for Conservation and Sustainability of Energy and Environment in Nigeria (SOCSEEN)/Afrihealth Optonet Association
• Society for the Improvement of Rural People
• Solidarité des Femmes burundaises pour le Bien-être Social et le Progrès au Burundi
• Soroptimist International of Europe
• Sotelo & Asociados
• Southern Africa Climate Change Coalition
• Success Capital Organisation
• Support for Women in Agriculture and Environment (SWAGEN) – Uganda
• Swedwatch
• TAMPEI – Philippines
• TANDARI – Asamblea de Jóvenes por la Sostenibilidad
• Terre des Jeunes, Burundi
• The Palestinian Human Rights Organization
• Todos por el Futuro – Venezuela
• Tree Uganda Academy
• Trust For Community initiatives – Botswana
• UAOD Cameroun
• United libis hoa phase i & phase ii – Philippines
• United Nations Association – Iowa Division
• United Nations Association of the USA
• URGENDA – Netherlands
• Vietnam Committee on Human Rights
• Voces Por El Planeta
• Vois Blong Mere Solomon
• Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi
• Women and Media Collective
• Women for peace and ecology-Germany
• Women Solidarity and Development
• Women’s Foundation of Minnesota
• Women In Media-Newark
• World Federalists Movement – Canada
• Zimbabwe Climate Change Coalition
• Zimbabwe homeless people’s federation

Academics:

• Terry McGovern – mcColumbus University
• Nancy Yáñez Fuenzalida – Centro de Derechos Humanos, Facultad de Derecho, Universidad de Chile
• John Pendergrass – Environmental Law Institute
• Sandra Nichols Thiam – Environmental Law Institute
• Joshua L Cooper – Hawai’i Institute for Human Rights
• Carole Brazeau – McGill University
• Kiymet Caliyurt – Trakya University
• Yenny olivares – Universidad de Valparaíso
• Manuel Sánchez-Moreno – Universidad Internacional de La Rioja
• University for Peace
• Curtis Doebbler – University of Makeni
• Karena Rodriguez – Universidad del Táchira
• Lina Muñoz Ávila – Universidad del Rosario